Parkland College Graphic Design Alumni Profiles

Parkland graduates are employed in ad agencies, design firms, in-house marketing depertments and as freelancers. Read their success stories by clicking on the thumnails below.

Michael Morgan

Hometown: Chicago IL

Year Graduated: 2006

Currently Working at: Weiskamp Screen Printing (Champaign IL)

How does it feel to be a professional designer: So far great, I’m still getting used to the idea of doing something I love for a living. I should have done this years ago.

How do you like your job: I enjoy it very much, working in a creative environment with interesting people and great music. Life is good.

How did you get this job: Newspaper ad and interviewing skills.

What was the most exciting project you’ve worked on since graduation: I’m working on it now. It’s a logo design for a beauty salon for a client in Chicago. I also do book covers as a freelancer, and always enjoy working on books with non-descript titles (i.e. Legal Liability and Recreation and Sports). What’s up with that title?

What were some of the most important things you learned while at Parkland: Understanding the basics of design, color management and keeping up with the latest software programs.

What is your favorite typeface and why: Avant Garde and Kabel, because they are both sharp and round at the same time. Both of these fonts always show a sense of direction and movement.

Web link: (www.mgdmmorgan.com)

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Carmen Elisa Enriquez

Hometown: Toluca, Mexico

Year graduated: 2005

Currently working at: I work at Hobbico (Champaign IL) as a prepress assistant and web photographer

How does it feel to be a professional designer: I feel important because I contribute my ideas to the graphic design world.

How do you like your job: I like my job because I get to be in contact with lots of different people, I especially enjoy it when you have to become a little bit of a psychologist to understand what your client needs and find the best ideas to fulfill his/her needs.

How did you get this job: I submitted many resumes and job applications to many different places. I got a job interview at Hobbico. Initially there was confusion because I was applying for a Graphic Artist position and they were expecting a Web Photographer. I was prepared for an interview for a graphic artist position, but not for a web photographer so I actually had very few pictures in my portfolio. I did not get the job as web photographer, but I was hired as a pre-press assistant and I currently do some photography work in addition to that.

What was the most exciting project you've worked on since graduation: I had an opportunity to briefly work on developing concepts for the creation of illustrations for lenticular 3D puzzles.

What were some of the most important things you learned while at Parkland: How to use the computer and the software to create art.

Who is your favorite designer and why: I admire the simplicity yet complex designs of Paul Rand. I'll always been somewhat influenced by his work.

What is your favorite typeface and why: Garamond is my favorite serif classical font. I especially love the lowercase "g." Futura is my favorite sans serif font because looks elegant and contemporary.


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Brook Paslay

Hometown: Decatur IL

Year graduated: 2005

Currently working at: Dynagraphics (Decatur IL) but also in the process of starting my own graphic design business with a friend called Showcard Studio. I am ready for the next level in my career and that seemed like the obvious step for me.

How does it feel to be a professional designer: It’s excellent to have a business card with my name and that title. I can’t wait for the challenges that I will face from owning my own design business. I am officially the go-to girl at my work for all software questions and I have taught everyone there every keyboard shortcut there is (or at least that I know).

How do you like your job: I work as a prepress artist at a printing facility, so I don’t enjoy what I actually do there, but I do enjoy the experience and knowledge that I have gained. I think it is very important that all designers start at that level if possible to really learn the ins and outs of print production.

How did you get this job: It was the third interview I went to. The guy who interviewed me loved my portfolio.

What was the most exciting project you've worked on since graduation: I designed the parade and tradeshow banners for Decatur Public Schools. It was quite a large client for me. I was able to meet with my client and discuss what it was she wanted, then go through the whole design process from start to finish (including production, which is nice).

What were some of the most important things you learned while at Parkland: You should always know your audience because it makes a big difference in what you will design. And always ask for constructive criticism. That way you are always learning things about yourself and your work that you wouldn’t have been able to learn on your own.

Who is your favorite designer and why: I enjoy Neville Brody’s work. His designs always surprise me, they’re very original. He has also designed a number of typefaces which I think would be very tedious to design and would take lots of patience and dedication to create.

What is your favorite typeface and why: I don’t know that I have a favorite. Having a favorite typeface scares me a bit for fear of overuse. But one that I enjoy a lot is Century Gothic, it is very clean and simple. That is how I think of my own design style.

Web link: www.brookpaslay.com and www.showcardstudio.com

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Shweta Agarwal

Hometown: Kanpur, India

Year graduated: Spring 2005

Currently working at: Thomas-Bradley Ltd. (Gridley IL)

How does it feel to be a professional designer: My feelings are mixed. On one hand, school was a haven of security (I didn't have to worry about the REAL world) and in student projects I had so much more creative freedom. On the other hand, it feels good to be in the professional world, respected for what I do and actually make a living with what I love doing! I can't always design the way I want because the bottom line is: design is always for a purpose, and the client always has the last word.

How do you like your job: I love it! School set the foundation for what I'm practicing but I have learnt so much more in the past year. Until you're out there in the real world you don't realize how much more there is to learn. Every project I have done has contributed to that reservoir of learning and experience. I've had the opportunity to work on a variety of different projects that have ranged from designing wedding albums to making a website for a pepper spray company!! I've loved every minute of it.

How did you get this job: I posted my resume online on careerbuilder.com. That is where I found the ad. I sent my digital portfolio and got a call for the interview!

What was the most exciting project you've worked on since graduation: There have been many. But the most exciting would be the Peoria Air Show web site. Every year it has a new look and feel to it. So far I've created two. The whole process of concepts to revisions that finally lead up to the day of the event is a thrill ride. Each day, more parts of the event unfold. Also, from the design aspect, there was such a huge bank of cool photographs to work with. The challenge was getting everything into the site without making it look too busy.

What were some of the most important things you learned while at Parkland: The portfolio seminar was the most informative class of all. It helped get my portfolio together (digital and print) and armed me with everything I needed to pass an interview!

Who is your favorite designer and why: Jeffery Zeldman -- the father of web design. He is the one guy who’s making the web a more enjoyable place and bringing standards to this community. There wouldn't be much web "design" without him.

Web link: http://www.shweta-agarwal.com

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Kerri Leann Hurd

Hometown: Mansfield IL

Year graduated: 2004

Currently studying at: Savannah College of Art and Design, one of the best design schools in the country.

What is your design process: Researching, reading, and writing. Understanding the meaning of words and how they relate to others. Observing. taking pictures. Accidents and unexpected results on the computer. Looking at things from the bigger picture.

What are you learning now: I’m getting into fibers with an emphasis on surface design. Improving my conceptual skills; allowing the process to present a solution.

Where do you find inspiration: Light and shadows, birds in flight, the ever-changing canvas known as the sky, words, the Bible, 1940's big band era, plants, looking at great design, West Elm.

What was the most exciting project you've worked on since graduation: A typography book which dealt with type design, and recording our inspiration—my first project using my own photography.

What were some of the most important things you learned while at Parkland: Graphic design is visual communication. Every piece needs a strong concept. Excellent craftsmanship can sell an okay idea over a poorly executed great idea. Two typefaces is enough if you know how to use them. The computers is just a tool.

Who is your favorite designer and why: Still looking.

What is your favorite typeface and why: Georgia—it's classy and sophisticated.

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Chris Sims

Hometown: Sidney IL

Year graduated: 2004

Currently working at: Horizon Hobby (Champaign IL)

How does it feel to be a professional designer: Some days I can’t believe I get paid to do this stuff. I feel so lucky to have a career doing something I feel so passionately about. That said, there are days that are so stressful, I wonder how much more I can take. But, who doesn’t have those kinda days, right? Even with those days, I feel truly blessed.

How do you like your job: I love it. Every day is full of new challenges, new problems to solve, new ideas, etc. I love the team of people I work with and I’ve learned so much in my time here. I’ve been able to grow as a designer and creative thinker and I truly feel that I have made a positive impact on the marketing of our company and its brands.

How did you get this job: Fellow Parkland alum Jennifer Davis recommended me to the creative director. She contacted me, I sent in my résumé, had an interview and was hired all within one week. It came at the perfect time for me.

What was the most exciting project you've worked on since graduation: A recent project I had was for a complete redesign of a company catalog. The company, located in Southern California, wanted a look that was more indicative of their locale. I did massive amounts of research (source files!) and borrowing from the youth culture of skateboarding, surfing, BMX, etc. Only then was I able to create a catalog that met their needs. So far it has been very well received and in the process I was able to take the company’s image to a new level in the marketplace.

What were some of the most important things you learned while at Parkland: “Graphic design is disposable art.” This practical statement (I heard it from Paul Young) has really helped me keep my sanity. It keeps me from getting too hung up on any one idea. Another thing I learned is how invaluable reference materials are. I’ve become somewhat of a “junk mail junkie.” I sign up for all the free brochures/catalogs I can get my hands on to see how other designers creatively solve problems. It keeps me inspired. Really.

Who is your favorite designer and why: He’s more of an illustrator, but I really enjoy Felix Sockwell’s work. His minimalist logo solutions have always appealed to me.

What is your favorite typeface and why: My designs are often dictated by style guides, so I use the appropriate typeface for the job. However, I do like Avenir quite a bit.



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Barry Abrams

Hometown: Mahomet IL

Year graduated: 2003 (then I transferred to ISU)

Currently working at: Surface 51 (Champaign IL)

How does it feel to be a professional designer: Now, more than ever I feel that I made the right decision with design.

How do you like your job: I really, really enjoy working at S51. The people I work with, the type of clients we work with, and the atmosphere are the best parts of the job. In addition, I also run my own business called Barry's Farm -- it's a great way to express myself and to get free T-shirts.

How did you get this job: I knew Anni Poppen because we were partners in our own studio called lmntal (which we formed while we were still at Parkland). She got me the interview.

How did you start your own business? I had done some T-shirt designs for a client, and really got into the DIY handmade craft scene. One thing led to another and I started selling shirts.

What was the most exciting project you've worked on since graduation: Boy Who Cried Wolf and “The End of Cinematic” animation.

What were some of the most important things you learned while at Parkland: Learning how to take criticism was important. Basic typography skills are also important.

Who is your favorite designer and why: Right now it's Chip Kidd. I think I'm drawn to his attitude.

What is your favorite typeface and why: Neutraface is excellent, because it's quirky and applicable. Mrs Eaves is beautiful.

Web link: surface51.com , barrysfarm.com

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Olga Kasimov

Hometown: Moscow, Russia

Year graduated: 2003

Currently working as: Dartmouth Publishing (Boston MA)

How does it feel to be a professional designer: A little weird — I never thought about being a designer while I was studying economics and finances at the university. I am happy I discovered the graphic design and web design programs at Parkland.

How do you like your job: It is very satisfying — it feels so good to do what I enjoy doing.

How do you get your clients: Through referrals. One client contacted me after seeing my name on the bottom of the web site I designed.

What was the most exciting project you've worked on since graduation: I really enjoyed designing the web site for a U of I retreat called Mufmech—Midwestern Universities Fluid Mechanics Retreat. http://www.olga-kasimov.com/web/mufmech/index.html

What were some of the most important things you learned while at Parkland: Well, I learned so many things, pretty much everything I know about being a designer. First, I learned what graphic design is—I had no idea what it was before I took first design class. Among other things, I learned not to take critiques personally, and that design is not self-expression. I also learned how to communicate with clients, and that knowledge of typography is vital to a designer. And many, many other things.

Who is your favorite designer and why: Hillman Curtis. I saw him on a field trip to Chicago when he spoke at an AIGA meeting several years ago and he made a big impression on me. He seemed to be a very authentic person—without a trace of anything phoney, like a child. He simply began his presentation about the things that matter to him, then he showed some of his work and told about his process. But without making any predictable jokes or using any meaningless words. Later, when I looked at his work and it left me with almost the same feeling — authentic, clear and very human. His website is http://www.hillmancurtis.com/

What is your favorite typeface and why: Adobe Garamond. I enjoy looking at each letter as big as my monitor—each letter is a piece of art.

Web link: www.olga-kasimov.com

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Vanessa Burgett

Hometown: Deerfield IL

Year graduated: 2003

Currently working at: University of Illinois Department of Housing

How does it feel to be a professional designer: Being a creative professional can be very exciting and rewarding when you're able to find interesting solutions. Yet it's hard to always be creative and have great ideas. Often times being a designer also means educating others as to what your role is.

How do you like your job: It's very rewarding to be part of a small team that allows you to take on a very important role in the overall creative process.

How did you get this job: After months of endless applications and a little networking.

What was the most exciting project you've worked on since graduation: The CD packaging for Joni Laurence, a local singer-songwriter.

What were some of the most important things you learned while at Parkland: To integrate sketching into your process no matter how painful it may be and to draw inspiration from a multitude of disciplines.

What do you wish you would have done differently when you were at Parkland: I wish I would have put a lot more effort into my student projects. Your creativity can really thrive without the pressure of real-world clients and deadlines. I wish I had seen each project as more of an opportunity to really test my range as a designer.

Who is your favorite designer and why: Hillman Curtis because of his informal design training. He proves that the development of your design skills can continue once you’re out of school.

What is your favorite typeface and why: I like light sans serif fonts because they have a certain casual elegance to them, like Univers Light 45.

Web link: www.veedesign.net

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Anni Poppen

Hometown: Hampshire IL

Year graduated: 2003

Currently working at: Surface 51 (Champaign IL)

How does it feel to be a professional designer: Sane

How do you like your job: It's better than owning my own business.

How did you get this job: Al Fleener and I met through the Ad Club. I was looking for a boss and he was looking for a designer/project manager. Wah-lah!

What was the most exciting project you've worked on since graduation: Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoff’s newest 7-inch record and “The End of Cinematics” intro animation.

What were some of the most important things you learned while at Parkland: To take criticism. My thick skin makes me a better designer. And to learn the rules so I can break them better.

Who is your favorite designer and why: Art Chantry, for not giving a fuck.

What is your favorite typeface and why: Surface 51 influenced this for sure, but DIN has become a favorite of mine. Simple, clean, with a personality.

Web link: www.surface51.com

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Thom Whitaker

Hometown: Marshall IL

Year graduated: 2003

Currently working at: Human Kinetics (Champaign IL)

How does it feel to be a professional designer: It's great to be a professional designer, because to me it's more than just a 9 to 5 job. I enjoy observing my surroundings wherever I go because the little things I see -- whether it is a magazine article, a movie, architecture, a restaurant menu, or even the shoe color of someone sitting two tables away from me at a bar -- can provide big inspiration for projects at work.

How do you like your job: I enjoy my job and work with some fun people. It's very fast paced and it’s challenging to come up with new and fresh ideas in such short periods of time.

How did you get this job: I started out as an intern, working 6 hours a week. When an opening came up, I was hired for a permanent position.

What were some of the most important things you learned while at Parkland: Earning your client's trust is important, and keeping that trust is even more important. Learning the basic principles of graphic design, because I use them every single day in every project I do.

Who is your favorite designer and why: Saul Bass, because his concepts were simple yet brilliant.

What is your favorite typeface and why: Currently my favorite is Officina Sans. I do a lot of text-heavy design work, and it proves to be very readable. I also like Mrs. Eaves.



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Dustin Wood

Hometown: La Harpe, IL

Year graduated: 2003

Currently working at: Communica, Inc. (Toledo OH)

How does it feel to be a professional designer: I feel like a celebrity in a way. It's always fun to tell people what I do, and what projects I've worked on. It's a cool feeling to see someone's eyes light up when they tell you that they've seen that project before.

How do you like your job: I love it, at times. There are some projects that drag on and on forever, and you can never seem to get things right. But then there are other times, where you're so pumped to work on a project that you go home, and still think about what you can do for the project. Or even spend countless hours off the clock learning the ins and outs of a program that you're not too familiar with, just so you can accomplish the one effect that you've had in your mind.

How did you get this job: I still don't know. After leaving Parkland, I was still technically a web designer. I had very little print experience, and no "real world" print experience. But when the time came to look for a job, I found out that people weren't really looking for web designers. They were looking for print designers with web experience. So I had to re-think the way I presented myself. I designed some print ads just to add to my portfolio, and started putting more emphasis on print than web. But what really got me this job was the way that I thought about my projects. After I was hired, I was told that this job opening had the largest number of applicants they've ever received, which made me feel even better about myself. But they said the one thing that made me stand out was the way that I worked out my concepts – it showed that I went a step further than what was required.

What was the most exciting project you've worked on since graduation: For Bowling Green State University, I had to come up with seven Flash movies that showed off what they were all about. And since I was the one who had the most experience with Flash, this project was assigned to me. I had a basic understanding of Flash, but for what they wanted done, I had to take what I already know and expand on it. So I spent my own time learning, and re-learning Flash. But the most challenging part was that I had only one week to make each movie. And I had to come up with a new look for each one, yet still make sure they looked like they belonged together.

What were some of the most important things you learned while at Parkland: That you cannot learn everything from school. Parkland gives you the foundation that you need, but you need to take ownership of your own education. And I did not realize that when I first started. In the beginning, I did the minimum that was required, never expanded on anything, and never looked at new resources. But then it hit me, and I started figuring things out on my own. I would finish most of the in-class exercises ahead of time, so that I can learn something new that wasn't going to be taught. Don't expect that just by being in the design program, you're going to be an award-winning designer. You need to outdo yourself everyday.

Who is your favorite designer and why: It would have to be David Carson. David Carson had no formal training as a designer, and he is considered a pioneer of the "grunge" look. His designs look so random, and thrown together. But it's probably furthest from the truth. He probably puts more thought into how it looks than the average designer puts into their design. Just try to design something that looks like David Carson’s work -- it’s not easy.

What is your favorite typeface and why: It used to be Futura, but now it's probably Frutiger. Both are very similar sans-serif typefaces. But if possible, I try to incorporate my own handwriting in my designs. It just gives it that much more originality.

Web link: http://www.dustinwood.com



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Kurt Bielema

Hometown: Urbana IL

Year graduated: 2002

Currently working as: A self-employed designer in Champaign IL. My studio is called Single Stereo Creative.

How does it feel to be a professional designer: Bliss.

How do you like your job: Love it. It's high stress at times, but highly rewarding. I love having direct contact with my clients, and also setting my own schedule.

Why did you decide to strike out on your own: After working at Taylor Studios (Rantoul IL) for 3.5 years, I felt the need to grow. The bulk of freelance work I had piling up had something to do with it, too.

What was the most exciting project you've worked on since graduation: Burpee Museum of Natural History. It was a big job that happened extremely quickly, so most of the decisions had to be made on the spot. There were a couple of marathon meetings and brainstorming sessions that I was a part of -- they were exhausting, but ultimately dictated the course of the project.

What were some of the most important things you learned while at Parkland: Presenting my ideas professionally to a group of people (class critique sessions), preparing for a project before starting on design (creative brief), and being excited about choosing such a kick-ass career!

Who is your favorite designer and why: Carlos Segura. His style resonates with me. He embraces the dirty and the pristine, anime and photography, wood type and digital type, and mixes it all up and creates something wonderful and new.

What is your favorite typeface and why: That changes from job to job. I really like the faces designed by Lucas de Groot: theSans, theMix, and theSerif. They have this subtle, unique personality to them. Right now, I really dig Denim by T-26. I like it because it looks like the typeface used on a lot of old records from the sixties.

Web link: singlestereo.com or mobielema.com

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Michael Bowers

Hometown: Champaign IL

Year graduated: 2001

Currently working at: The Proprietary Division of advertising at Hobbico, Inc. (Champaign IL). Hobbico is the largest retail and wholesale distributor of radio-control hobby products in the world and one of the most progressive companies in the Champaign-Urbana area.

How does it feel to be a professional designer: Being a professional designer is wonderful. No matter where life takes me, or whatever station I will ever be in my life, I will always be a graphic designer at heart. Once the graphic design bug really grabs a hold of you, it is forever.

How do you like your job: I am actually one of those few people who really do love their jobs. One of the reasons for this is the myriad of projects I work on in a normal work day. I may create a new ad, design a mock-up web site, update a Flash movie, work on a large remote-controlled airplane box, stop to greet a vendor from Japan, work with a printer locally (or one in China), work with our photographer on a new project, attend a market strategy meeting for some innovative product, make corrections to a header card or work on decals for a new high-end radio-controlled truck. It is also very rewarding to walk into a hobby store, or increasingly into Wal-Mart, Target, or Toys R Us, to see my finished work. To top it off, I work with a very talented group of people. My fellow co-workers are artists, computer specialists and print specialists. I am still learning from them, and I hope they sometimes learn from me as well.

How did you get this job: I worked hard while at Parkland, and one of my instructors took note of my work, and offered me a job following graduation. Parkland instructors are designers themselves, and have a network of fellow designers. It is important to remember they are probably one of the most valuable resources at Parkland. So remember, any design job a new designer applies for in the area is probably going to begin with a call to one of your former instructors. Take my advice, be an excellent student.

What was the most exciting project you've worked on since graduation: I have worked on many exciting projects since graduation, but one does stand apart from the others. A couple of years ago, Great Planes (a division of Hobbico) wanted to make a scale-size replica of commercial and air show pilot, Matt Chapman's Cap 580 airplane. I had to study the intricate trim scheme of his actual plane, and fit it to our scale version. It took a long time, but everyone was pleased with the final results. I was even asked to go out the airfield to actually meet Matt Chapman for the photo shoot. Then, he took to the air and showed off the aerobatic skills which made him a champion. I think it was the most exciting simply because it was such a departure from what I usually do.

What were some of the most important things you learned while at Parkland: I learned to soak up any knowledge around me I could. If I saw something an instructor had done, or even something a fellow student was working on, I wanted to know how it was accomplished. I also learned the importance of proficiency in all of the software tools. I learned to work and work hard. If I hadn't quite grasped a lesson, I went back and did it again and again until I mastered it.

Who is your favorite designer and why: I really don't have a favorite designer. Though I found the work of designers like Milton Glaser impressive, I don’t like all his of work. As designers, we are partial cannibals in that we "borrow" elements we like from every designer we have ever known. Whether a designer realizes it or not, that brilliant design you just realized was probably a reflection of a concept from another designer. I think the greatest compliment to a designer is that their concepts are heavily "borrowed" from.

What is your favorite typeface and why: Although I have a fondness for Adobe Garamond because I researched him for my typography class at Parkland, I find that I like the clean contemporary look of Eurostile and tend to use it for many of my projects.